I have received this question multiple times from readers interested in joining the Foreign Service, and the simple answer is: I don’t know. For the last several months there has been a government wide freeze on hiring, and at this point it doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. What this means is job announcements
A few people have written in, and colleagues, friends, and family have all be asking me if I am nervous about the security of my job. The simple answer is yes. The backdrop for this question if you are reading this blog but oblivious to what has been occurring in the U.S. Government, is that
Since I have been assigned to Rangoon, several readers have asked me about the Danger Pay differential, and how one gets it. Danger Pay is a percentage pay differential an employee gets for serving in locations where circumstances on the ground could threaten physical harm against employees. Typical reasons a post would get Danger Pay
I answered this question a couple of years ago, but it still continues to be one of the top questions prospective hires ask me when they are going through the process, so figured it would be a good time for an update. Paid time off is also referred to as annual leave in the Foreign
Now that you have completed your first tour. What is the thing you like least about the Foreign Service? This is a tough question because it will be largely unique to the individual. While some folks might find the physical location of where they are to be difficult, others might dislike distance from family, or
How do you keep track of all your things when you are constantly moving all over the world? Doesn’t it get exhausting? This is solid question with PCS season upon us and our family being dead smack in the middle of a move. Yes and no to it being exhausting. Life in the Foreign Service
A family member recently asked me if I could go back in time, would I have prioritized bidding on Mauritania when I first joined the State Department, and the answer is an emphatic YES! At the time, my list had 4 African countries (3 of which have since had coups) and 3 eastern European countries
What sort of banking do you use when living abroad? Don’t foreign transaction fees add up? Are your credit/debit cards even useful abroad? Easily one of the most common question I have been asked by newly hired providers, and in general one of the most common questions you see repeatedly on the FS Subreddit. Several
A pretty common question I get asked by friends, family, and readers is what level of airfare accommodation the U.S. government provides. The answer can be complex. The simplest answer is the U.S. government will pay for the cheapest unrestricted economy class tickets. These tickets whenever possible must also be in compliance with the “Fly
How has educating your children in the Foreign Service been thus far, are the schools decent, and do you have to pay for their education abroad? This is a pretty complex question to answer just because there are so many variables that go into education, even domestically, so it can be particularly amplified abroad. Just
